Plans to install solar panels on well-known Barnstaple council buildings

Solar panels are expected to be installed on Barnstaple’s historic Pannier Market as part of a drive to save money and reduce carbon emissions from council-owned buildings.

North Devon Council is planning solar panels on four properties which will give it the greatest potential for cost savings long term – Brynsworthy Environment Centre, Green Lanes Shopping Centre, Barnstaple Bus Station and the 170-year-old Grade II listed pannier market.

The council has identified nine of its 29 sites that would be suitable for solar with an estimated installation cost of just under one million pounds.

READ NEXT: Foodie heaven returns to North Devon for a 16th year this October

The payback period would be between four and 11 years, potentially saving more than 75 tonnes of carbon every year, a report to the authority’s strategy and resources committee heard this week.

Some councillors raised eyebrows at the pannier market being on the list, but were told the building had an unusual shaped roof with a gully in it where panels could be placed and would not be visible from the ground.

The conservation officer said it would not spoil the look of the building and was happy with it, members were told.

However, the listed Old Town Station and Queen Anne’s building in Barnstaple are deemed unsuitable for solar panels due to their historical significance.

The council’s Brynsworthy site is ‘energy intensive’ as it has extensive opening hours, is industrial in nature and also has large open plan offices and welfare facilities.

Other sites which are in the top five for highest carbon emissions are the Queen’s Theatre in Barnstaple and the Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe.

A solar array has already been installed at Ilfracombe Swimming Pool after the council received money from Sport England and there are plans in the pipeline to put them on North Devon Crematorium as a separate project to the district wide plan.

Officers said the authority did not have money or time to look at all its assets at the moment, but getting four more properties done was ‘a big step forward’.

Councillor Caroline Leaver said the council had been talking about clean energy on its estate for some time adding, “I am thrilled to bits if we are able to move forward on that.”

Council leader Cllr David Clayton said he was often asked why the council didn’t put solar panels on council-owned car parks.

READ NEXT: Major transformation under way in Barnstaple town centre as creative spaces take shape

Climate and sustainability officer Donna Sibley said she would be happy to look at that once all the buildings were done but it was more costly.

She added: “It’s better value for money to put them on buildings where we know we are going to use the energy.”

Ms Sibley said the government was looking at making it law that every new housing development should include solar panels on roofs but had not yet given a date on it being implemented.

She said it was something being discussed during the current review of Torridge and North Devon’s local plan but it had to be accepted by the planning inspectorate. The installation of solar panels often affected the viability of developments, she said.

Fully costed plans for the four priority sites and progress on the other buildings will come before the committee before the end of the year.